Domestic Porn, the movie

[2009]

At first sight, pornography and domesticity belong to separate domains. While pornography is related to the frenzy of visibility, or more accurate, hyper-visibility, domesticity remains in the shadow. Domesticity seems to be maintained by a constant but silent battle against entropy, the tendency of things to go into disorder, and it is only visible when it fails. Sex, the main topic in pornography (or at least its star) is divorced from reproduction, but becomes a family issue into domestic space. However, these areas interact more than they would like to admit. Most of the time, pornography is consumed into domestic space; reversely, pornography is often about domesticity. A fictional one, or maybe an hyper-domesticity, but constantly alluded in settings and thematics. Pornography, then, comes in a way from domesticity and returns to it, as an asteroid. But what happens there? As Michel de Certeau asked about television: what do they make of what they “absorb,” receive, and pay for? What do they do with it?1

This work tries to investigate that question by exploring the common area between pornography and domestic space. Domestic Porn is a real fiction and a performative research. It is an attempt to show the physical presence of pornography and its incorporation into domestic space.

More about this project

Following the aesthetics of amateur porn, usually recorded into domestic space and easily available on the Internet, I chose three different avenues of exploration:

1. Pornography into domestic space What happens when a camera is introduced in the everyday life? Perhaps this new consciousness transforms a peaceful housewife into a porn star. How is the backstage of sexual intercourse? Could it still be pornographic? Is just the intrusive presence of the camera a pornographic act?

2. Domestic space in a pornographic way This aspect is concerned with the hyper-visualization of domestic space, its representation beyond reality. When is it necessary to force angles and actions to make them more visible or revealing their hidden content. Everything you always wanted to know about domestic space!

3. Semiotics of the bedroom Loosely based on Martha Rosler’s “Semiotics of the Kitchen”, I tried to dissect sexual intercourse into different actions with no arousal intention. Is it still pornographic? Or is it the dissection the real pornographic act? I’m still intrigued about domestic space, and about pornography. Is pornography really a subproduct of domestic space or just tries to looks like one? Is it a right or an obligation? These exercises tried to be the beginning of an answer. Or maybe of more questions.